Garment-supporter.



a. B. H-ARRIS.

GARMENT SUPPORTER., APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1901.

900,728. r Pat6nted'0ct.13,1908.'

Fig. 1

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsnmamu, n. c.

CLEO B. HARRIS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed July 24, 1907. Serial No. 385,324.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEO B. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Minneapolis, in the Stateof Minnesota, have invented newand useful Improvements in Garment-Supporters; and in order that othersmay understand, make, and use my invention I give the followingspecification.

My invention relates to underwaists or undergarments adapted to givemore or less support to the figure and at the same time to form asupport for other garments, such as stockings, underskirts and the like;and my invention has for its objectrto provide such a garment-supporterwhich shall be comfortable and convenient to wear, shall not interferewith nor obstruct free movements of the body or limbs, shall support theweight of the garments from theshoulders, and be simple and inexpensivein construction.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a waist or garmentembodying my invention. 7

.Figure l of said drawing illustrates a front view of the garment. Fig.2 illustrates a rear view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the back portion which iscontinuous over the back. The back portion continues around the sides,above and below the arms forming side portions 2, 2, with arm openings3, 3. From one of the side portions 2, (the left, in Fig. 1 of thedrawing), extend two straps or bands, one, 4, at the neck, and theother, 5, at the waist. On the other side portion, 2, at pointscorresponding to the bands 4 and 5 respectively, are fastening devices,such for instance as buttons, 6, 7 to which the neck and waist strapsare to be secured by buttonholes 8 and 9 therein, when the garment isworn. Joining the neck strap with the waist strap is a band 10 ofelastic or yielding material, somewhat greater in length than thedistance between the neck and waist straps when the garment is inwearing position. In this position the band 10 is vertical'and centralin front of the body of the wearer, and crosses the substantially squareopening 11, which is formed between the two side portions 2, 2, and theneck. and waist straps 4 and 5, bisecting said opening longitudinally.

The garment-supporter is provided at suitable points around the waistwith garment attaching devices, such as buttons 12,

which may be arranged in a double row, as shown, or in any manner and atany suitable points as may be desired. To these buttons are attached, aswill be understood, the 0 skirts, drawers or other garments, which areto be supported. In the central back and front portions the waist isformed or provided with extensions or tabs 13, 13, to which the napkinmay be pinned or secured. At points vertically below the shoulderportions 14, 14, hose supporters 15 are secured, (permanently ordetachably as desired,) to the waist in the back and in the front.

The manner of using and wearing the gar ment-supporter will be apparentfrom the above description, To put on or remove the garment it isnecessary onlylto fasten or unfasten the two fastening devices 6 and 7,and these being in front are readily accessible to the wearer. When thegarment is worn the back and sides of the wearer are supported. The neckstrap 4, when fastened, forms with the shoulders 14 and back acontinuous yoke over the shoulders and about the neck. From this yoke issupported the weight of the skirts, drawers, napkin, stockings, &c., theweight of which is thus distributed and carried by the shoulders as isgenerally approved by physicians. Any pull or strain coming on the frontof the waist, as for instance from the napkin, or from the othergarments attached thereto, is transferred by the medium of the verticalband 10 to this yoke and is thus borne by the shoulders. The band 10also prevents the shoulder portions from becoming displaced and assistsin keeping them in position. The neck band 4 also prevents shifting ordisplacementof the shoulder portions. The vertical band 10is preferablysomewhat longer than the distance between the neck band and the waistband to allow for curvature of the chest and to accommodate difierentsized wearers or varying depths of the chest, and also provide that innormal positions of the wearer there will be no pressure on the chest.The, square shaped opening allows free and full play for the chest andlungs in respiration. As will be readily perceived the hose supporterscarry the weight and pull of the hose in a' direct line from theshoulders, and being arranged in the back and front support the hose inthe best manner.

It will thus be seen that by the construction described my inventionprovides a garment-supporter which supports the garments in the mostapproved manner and without in any way interfering with any of themovements of the wearer, and is therefore adapted not only for ordinarywear but also for gymnastic or athletic purposes.

Having describedniy invention, what I desire to protect and secure byLetters Patent 1s:

1. A garment-supporter having neck and shoulder portions forming a yoke,side portions continuous with the shoulder portions, a waist-encirclingportion continuous with the side portions, said yoke, sine and waistportions surrounding an opening or cutaway portion over the chest of thewearer, means for attaching garments to the waistencircling portion anda band connecting said waist-encircling portion with the yoke.

2. A garment-supporter characterized by a body-portion extending overthe back, shoulders, and sides of the wearer, the side portions of saidgarment-supporter being separated in front to form an opening over thechest, a neck strap and a waist strap joining said side portions at theneck and waist respectively, means for attaching garments'to said waiststrap, and a yielding connection between said neck and waist straps.

3. A garlnent-supporter having a neckencircling portion or yoke, awaist-encircling portion, side portions extending over the shoulders andconnecting the waist-encircling portion and yoke, said side portionsseparated in front to form an opening over the chest of the wearer, ayielding connection between the yoke and waist-encircling portion, andmeans to attach gar ments to the waist-encircling portion.

a. A garment-supporter having a neck-encircling portion or yoke, a waistencircling portion, side port-ions connecting the yoke with thewaist-encircling portion and extending over the shoulders, said sideportions separated in front to vform an opening over the chest of thewearer, a yielding connection between the said neck and waist portionsand extending across said opening. hose-supporting devices attached tosaid waist portion at points vertically below the shoulders andgarment-supporting devices attached to said waist portion in line with.said yielding connection.

5. A garment-supporter having a body portion extending around the back,sides and shoulders of the wearer, the sides ol said body portion beingseparated at the front to leave an opening or space over the chest ofthe wearer, a neck strap and a vaist strap for connecting said sides atthe neck and waist respectively, a yielding connection between said neckand waist straps and ex tending centrally across said opening, and meansfor securing garments about the waist of said body portion, said meanssituated at points vertically below the shoulders and also in line withsaid yielding connect ion.

CLEO B. HARRIS. lVitnesses Jas. J. lite/Nannie, Bnssn: BARNARD.

